Loading…

Dubbed “The Black Sundance,” the Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) is an annual 4-day celebration of Black Cinema drawing together established filmmakers, popular film and TV stars, writers, directors, industry executives, emerging artists, and diverse audiences from Southern California and around the world. HBFF’s INFOTAINMENT CONFERENCE features a wealth of informational panels and workshops covering a wide variety of topics which include: film production, distribution and marketing, pitching, writing for television and film, in addition to specific programs designed to inform and educate actors.

CLICK on film or panel titles to get more information. SORT by category by clicking on the category name on the right side of the page.

TK

Tanya Kersey

Hollywood Black FIlm Festival
Founder & Executive Director
Beverly Hills, CA
Tanya Kersey is probably best known as the Founder/Executive Director of the Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF), where she is responsible for the overall organization, management and administration of one of the leading black film festivals in the world.

HBFF draws together established filmmakers, popular film and TV stars, writers, directors, industry executives, emerging artists and new audiences from Southern California and around the world.  Under Tanya’s direction, HBFF plays an integral role is discovering and launching independent film and filmmakers by bringing them to the attention of the industry, press and public. To date, HBFF has screened more than 1,100 feature, short, student and documentary films from filmmakers from all over the world.

Tanya also created complementary platforms to showcase and develop filmmakers’ projects -- the Infotainment Conference, the HBFF Cinema Lounge, the HBFF Screening Series, the HBFF Film Finance & Distribution Summit, and the HBFF Storyteller Competition.

Named an Urban Hollywood Mover and Shaker by Daily Variety, Tanya also runs The Kersey Group (TKG) a successful film, media and business development consulting firm that works with individuals, businesses, organizations, universities and government agencies.  TKG offers a broad range of services including entertainment and indie film consulting; film development and pre-production services; script analysis; film and web series business plans; film marketing plans; social media strategies; distribution strategies; and event production (film festivals, conferences and workshops).  

Prior to HBFF and TKG, Tanya was the founder and CEO of the entertainment industry trade publication Black Talent New and its companion website, BlackTalentNews.com.  As a well-known entertainment journalist, Tanya covered a variety of high-profile events such as the Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys, Indie Spirit Awards, SAG Awards, BET Awards, People’s Choice Awards, and the NAACP Image Awards.  She conducted countless celebrity interviews with such lumanaries as Oscar winners Halle Berry, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, Morgan Freeman and Mo’Nique, as well as Samuel L. Jackson, Ice Cube, Angela Bassett, and the late Bernie Mac, to name just a few. And she was frequently seen on Reelz Channel’s “Reelz in the Round,” and on the Biography Channel’s “Famous.” Finally, Tanya was a staple on “Samm Brown for the Record” on KPFK (90.7 FM) as a contributor and co-host, and she produced and hosted the popular Internet radio show, “Inside Urban Hollywood.”

Tanya is a popular public speaker and workshop leader who has spoken for the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, the Birmingham Business Alliance, Businesswire, Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference, Columbia College, Writers Boot Camp Diversity Business Brunch, the Institute for International Film Financing, and Showbiz Expo, to name just a few. She has also authored several books including Black State of the Arts: A Guide to Developing a Successful Career as a Black Performing Artist, The Black Film Report,  and the Urban Hollywood Resource Directory.

Tanya recently launched HollywoodCareerResources.com, which offers Hollywood career information and talent development resources.

Tanya has now set her sights on making a global statement by taking HBFF and TKG abroad, bringing her brand of 'education, enlightenment and empowerment' to the Diaspora, and consulting with countries with burgeoning entertainment industries.